FAO warns of avian influenza surge in Asia-Pacific, urges regional motion
The UN Meals and Agriculture Group sounded the alarm on Thursday a few surge in avian influenza within the Asia-Pacific area.
Since late final 12 months, 13 folks have contracted the virus in Cambodia, with additional outbreaks in China and Vietnam – after a interval of minimal human an infection.
A brand new extremely infectious pressure has additionally emerged – FAO mentioned – and it’s presenting a brand new problem for scientists and public well being authorities. The H5N1 hen flu virus has already unfold additional than ever earlier than, reaching South America and Antarctica and infecting new wild and home animals.
In March this 12 months, it unfold to dairy cows in the USA for the primary time, raising concerns about its unfold to people.
Thailand and Myanmar are actually in danger, while India, Nepal and Bangladesh are already battling outbreaks. With restricted biosecurity, the Higher Mekong Subregion, Indonesia and the Philippines are additionally underneath the highlight, mentioned FAO , which issued an pressing name for regional coordination to deal with the “deeply worrying” illness unfold.
Kachen Wongsathapornchai, Regional Supervisor of FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Ailments (ECTAD) mentioned the brand new pressure has elevated the pandemic threat and “quick, coordinated preventive measures are important”.
FAO is asking on Member Nations to place in place complete surveillance programs, together with genome sequencing to trace the virus, speedy diagnostics and cross-sectoral information sharing. Governments, worldwide organizations and the non-public sector should share data rapidly to plan containment methods. Biosafety and biosecurity within the poultry business have to be strengthened and public consciousness raised to cut back transmission threat. Â
With help from the US Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID) FAO is working with 13 international locations in Asia and the Pacific to stop, detect and reply to well being threats.Â
Gaza: Starvation fears persist as Israeli operations additional hurt enclave’s farmers
The UN’s support coordination workplace, OCHA, has issued a stark warning about starvation in Gaza, saying support isn’t reaching those that want it. Insecurity, broken roads and entry restrictions are severely impeding support supply between Kerem Shalom Crossing, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah,” the UN company mentioned.
Gas and support shortages are affecting six bakeries in northern Gaza, leaving them operational for only some days. Group kitchens face vital shortages leaving them unable to provide sufficient sizzling meals for the displaced. A scarcity of economic provide shortages has additionally led to a extreme protein scarcity in native markets.
Only some greens can be found in northern Gaza and at unaffordable costs. The agricultural sector is devastated, and farms and fields are deserted. Lacking the subsequent agricultural season will spoil livelihoods, OCHA mentioned.
In the meantime, the UN Meals and Agriculture Group (FAO) studies that agriculture within the Gaza Strip covers over 40 per cent of the enclave and provides as much as 30 per cent of its each day meals. Hostilities have destroyed this sector, stopped native manufacturing of contemporary and nutritious meals and diminished entry to important objects for a nutritious diet. 96 per cent of the inhabitants of Gaza, about 2.15 million folks, are going through acute meals insecurity or larger.
Europe tops the charts for alcohol consumption. WHO requires pressing motion to curb the pattern
It appears that evidently Europeans don’t need to quit booze…
A UN World Well being Group (WHO) report has discovered that nothing has modified within the continent’s ingesting habits. Regardless of the well being dangers, Europeans devour a median of 9.2 litres of pure alcohol a 12 months – making them the world’s greatest drinkers.
WHO’s Dr Gauden Galea mentioned that the impacts are far-reaching together with home violence, accidents and psychological well being points. He known as on international locations to implement efficient insurance policies to cut back ingesting.
The numbers inform a sobering story: males within the area drink almost 4 occasions greater than girls and 470 million folks are (lacking phrase)drinkers in keeping with newest information. Two out of each three adults drink, one in 10 has an alcohol use dysfunction and virtually six per cent reside with alcohol dependence. But solely 12 out of 53 international locations have made progress in lowering consumption by 10 per cent since 2010.
The report warned that alcohol is the main reason behind demise in Europe, accounting for nearly 800,000 deaths a 12 months; 2,200 folks die each day from alcohol-related causes, virtually 9 per cent of all deaths within the area.
Regardless of the clear proof of hurt, many European international locations usually are not implementing the WHO suggestions which embrace growing alcohol taxes, proscribing advertising and lowering availability.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have proven that population-level management insurance policies can cut back consumption, hurt and improve life expectancy.
The WHO urged international locations to behave now to fulfill Sustainable Development Goals on well being and restrict business pursuits that promotedrinking alcohol. Implementing the “Finest Buys” and different evidence-based methods can considerably cut back alcohol-related illnesses, deaths, disabilities and accidents, it mentioned.